1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicular maintenance and, more particularly, to systems and methods for replacing transmission fluid.
2. Related Art
For the past several years, substantial attention has been directed to the field of transmission fluid changers. Such systems are useful, for example, in draining the oil from a vehicle transmission system in order to replace the transmission filter and/or to completely replace the old transmission fluid with new fluid. Existing transmission fluid changers such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,184, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,064, U.S. Pat. No 5,318,080 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,160 require substantial human intervention during the fluid exchange process.
However, there is an intense need within the industry to provide a more efficient, less time consuming and a more user-friendly system for transmission fluid replacement that substantially reduces human intervention.
In view of this necessity, it is believed that those skilled in the art would find automated systems and methods for draining, filling and changing of transmission fluid to be quite useful.
In a first separate aspect, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for replacing waste fluid with clean fluid. The apparatus includes a waste tank for receiving the waste fluid from a first port, a clean tank containing the clean fluid, a processor coupled to first and second sensors, and a pump coupled to the processor for pumping the clean fluid into a second port. The processor measures the waste fluid level via the first sensor and measures the clean fluid level via the second sensor. Based on these measurements, the processor controls the pump""s speed.
In a second separate aspect, the apparatus of the first separate aspect may also include a solenoid switch that includes first and second ports and a plurality of paths for transferring the clean and waste fluids.
In a third separate aspect of the invention, the paths in the solenoid switch of the second separate aspect may be selected via the processor by measuring the fluid pressure at each solenoid switch port.
In a fourth separate aspect, the apparatus of the first separate aspect may also include a disposal pump coupled to the processor for pumping the waste fluid from the waste tank into a disposal tank.
In a fifth separate aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of replacing waste fluid with clean fluid. The method comprises the step of providing a waste tank for receiving the waste fluid from a first port and a clean tank containing the clean fluid. The method further includes the step of coupling a processor to a first sensor, a second sensor and a pump for pumping the clean fluid into a second port. The method also includes the steps of measuring the waste fluid via the first sensor using the processor and measuring the clean fluid via the second sensor using the processor. And the method includes the step of controlling the pump using the processor based on the measuring steps.
In a sixth separate aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of replacing waste fluid in a system with clean fluid. The method includes the steps of draining a portion of the waste fluid from the system into a waste tank, measuring the amount of the drained fluid with a processor, and replacing the drained fluid with clean fluid from a clean tank using a pump that is controlled by the processor.
In a seventh separate aspect, the method of the sixth separate aspect may include the steps of withdrawing the remaining portion of the waste fluid plus the clean fluid in the system into the waste tank, gauging the amount of the withdrawn fluid using the processor, feeding the system with the clean fluid using the pump, gauging the amount of fluid in the feeding step using the processor, and controlling the pump such that the withdrawing step proceeds at substantially the same rate as the feeding step.
In an eighth separate aspect, the method of the seventh separate aspect may include the step of terminating the process when the clean fluid reaches a low level in the clean tank.
In a ninth separate aspect, the method of the seventh separate aspect may include the step of pumping an extra amount of the clean fluid into the system.
In a tenth separate aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of replacing a first fluid in a system having a pan with a second fluid. The method comprises the step of draining a substantial portion of the first fluid in the pan and then removing the pan to service the system, such as replacing a filter in the system. The method further comprises the steps of reconnecting the pan and replacing the drained first fluid with a substantially equal amount of the second fluid. The method also includes the step of draining the remaining amount of first fluid in the system contemporaneously with receiving the second fluid.
In an eleventh separate aspect, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for replacing a first fluid in a system with a second fluid. The apparatus comprises a pump for pumping the second fluid into the system. The apparatus also includes a first control board which receives power from a power supply and controls power to the pump. The apparatus further includes a second control board which receives power from the first control board and controls flow of the first fluid and the second fluid.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus and method of replacing one fluid with another in a system, such as a vehicle transmission system.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.